Advanced Inversions and Arm Balances Workshops
Build the strength, stability, and confidence required for complex asanas. We use traditional techniques and props to safely progress towards inversions and arm balances.
A moment of stillness and focus in Adho Mukha Vrksasana, or handstand. This pose demands complete body integration, from the fingertips to the toes.
I explain the foundation of a pain-free handstand. It is about distributing weight across four points of the palm, not just the wrist, to create a stable base.
My personal practice refining Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) alignment. Using a chair and blocks helps to open the shoulders and find the vertical line.
Using a stack of blocks against the wall to practice the entry into Pincha Mayurasana. This drill builds the strength and control needed to lift up without kicking.
A challenging transition from Utthita Dandasana to handstand, using blocks for elevation. This sequence builds immense core and upper body strength.
Flowing through various arm balances like Eka Pada Koundinyasana. These asanas require a combination of strength, flexibility, and balance.
Students in my workshop practicing different variations of Sirsasana (Headstand). The synchronized effort creates a powerful energy in the room.
Handstand practice in a group setting. Students use the wall for support as they build confidence and learn to hold the inversion.
A class focused on the fundamentals of headstand. We use blankets for cushioning and I provide adjustments to ensure safe entry and exit from the pose.
Students work on Vrischikasana (Scorpion Pose) in the forearm stand, using props like chairs and blocks to safely explore this deep backbend and inversion.
About Advanced Inversions & Arm Balances
These workshops are not about rushing into a pose. We focus on the mechanics of the shoulder girdle and the distribution of weight through the hands in poses like Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand). You will learn how to use blocks, chairs, and wall ropes not as crutches, but as tools to understand the skeletal alignment required for long-term, injury-free practice.
Inversions are often misunderstood as a display of strength. In my classes, we treat them as a discipline of balance and alignment. When you understand how to engage your pelvic diaphragm and maintain proper bandhas, the pose becomes a state of ease rather than a struggle against gravity.
Why Props Are Essential
Many practitioners attempt arm balances with incorrect alignment, putting undue stress on the wrists and lower back. I use Iyengar-style props to modify the entry and exit of these poses. For example, practicing the transition from Utthita Dandasana to a handstand using blocks under the palms allows you to focus on core engagement without the fear of falling. This builds the neurological pathways needed to hold the pose.
What We Work On
- Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand): We break down the four-point weight distribution of the palms to protect the wrists.
- Sirsasana (Headstand): Focus on neck safety, using blankets for cushioning and wall support to build vertical alignment.
- Tittibhasana & Bakasana: Drills to build the hip flexibility and arm strength required for these foundational arm balances.
- Vrischikasana (Scorpion Pose): Advanced techniques using chairs and blocks to safely open the shoulders and spine.
The Path of Abhyasa
Progress in these asanas does not happen overnight. I encourage students to view these sessions as a technical laboratory for their own abhyasa (self-practice). Whether you are a teacher looking to refine your adjustments or a serious practitioner wanting to conquer your fear of going upside down, we provide the environment to work with sincerity. Our studio in DLF Phase 5, Gurugram, is a dedicated space where we sweat, chant, and refine our practice together.
Devender Bhardwaj
I am Devender, and I treat yoga as a spiritual discipline rooted in Sanatan Dharma. My workshops are for serious practitioners in Gurgaon who want to go beyond the basics and refine their technical alignment.
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